Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Philippines School of Prosthetics and Orthotics (PSPO), established at the University of the East Ramon
Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Inc (UERMMMCI) in 2010, is taking part in a United Nations High Level meeting on disability
and development.

PSPO is part of an international network with
The Cambodia Trust, Nippon Foundation and UERMMMCI as partners. The main goal
of these organizations is to empower people with disabilities, especially the
poor, by providing access to mobility devices - like artificial limbs - as a
first step to inclusion, equality and opportunity.

Representatives
of PSPO, including Dr Josephine 'Penny' Bundoc, program director of the
Physicians for Peace-Philippines Walking Free program, and Raissa Laurel, who
lost her legs in the 2010 Bar exams blast on Taft Avenue, Manila, will take part in an
initiative that will culminate in the Outcome Meeting of the General Assembly on Disability,
which aims to change the world for people with disabilities. Penny and Raissa
will have the opportunity to address this meeting.

The UN High Level
meeting involving the world's governments (known as 'The Way Forward') will build
on the 2006 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, by
ensuring that global development processes include people with disabilities, to
help realise the overall objective of full and equal participation of persons with
disabilities in society.

PSPO is also contributing
to a high profile, multi-agency 'side event' organised by the Philippine
Government, World Health Organization and United Nations Department for
Economic and Social Affairs. It is called 'Assistive Technology Opens Doors'. Other sponsors include The Nippon
Foundation and The Cambodia Trust, Physicians for Peace Walking
Free Philippines, International
Disability Alliance, International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics,
Nippon Foundation, Rehabilitation International, USAID and UNICEF.

Commenting on the
importance of United Nations' action on disability, Dr Penny Bundoc said, 'Over
1 billion people, or 15% of the world population, live with disabilities. They are
the world’s largest and most disadvantaged group, are
disproportionately represented among the poor and lack equal access to basic resources
like education, employment, transport, healthcare and social and legal support
systems. Despite this, disability has been largely invisible in most mainstream
development processes.'

She continued, 'The
UN focus on implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities will change this by highlighting governments' responsibilities and
obligations and will make it easier for organizations like PSPO and The
Cambodia Trust to break the cycle of exclusion, poverty and lack of opportunity
which 'traps' so many people with disabilities.'

Assistive Technology (AT) refers to any number of devices that help
people with disabilities to overcome
barriers. These could range from devices like walkers, artificial limbs and wheelchairs
to specialized computer hardware and software. AT assists children with disabilities to
access education, helps adults to be economically empowered or reduce poverty and often bridges the gap
between exclusion and inclusion by providing a first step towards opportunity
and independence.

Despite its
importance, 85-95% people with disabilities do not have access to assistive
devices, with the problem most acute in low- and mid-income countries. The aim of the UN side event on AT is driven by the
huge disparity between need and access and the fact that UN Standard Rules
define AT as a precondition for equal rights and opportunities.

The event will
discuss 'Global Alliance of Assistive
Technology' (GATE), a new worldwide
initiative which aims to improve access to and the quality of assistive
devices and will aim specifically to
fulfill an obligation of Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities.

ThisArticle asks for international cooperation to increase access to
AT and the event will address key questions around this issue, including
developing a global response, involving people with disabilities and their
families, the role of different types of organisation and how the global
community can support UN Member States to fulfill AT obligations.

As part of this process, UERMMMCI-PSPO will
be used as a best practice example of what can be achieved in providing access
to AT through an international, multi-agency
approach and the UN will hear from people with disabilities who have
used the School's services.

Ends

Further
Information

Dr Penny Bundoc, PSPO

T: +63 91890 31798

E:
pennybundocmd@yahoo.com

Penny Bundoc and Raissa Laurel are available
for interview before and after the UN High-Level Meeting on Disability and
Development.